NO, but we will probably have a link from the Lieber guitars site to the( newly being created ) Irwin guitar site.

And this is actually a fun project to see come to fruition for all of us. Our intent in not greed, quite the opposite. We are trying to create opportunity for those who desire our Jerry guitar designs. There are only a handful of individuals who can afford a custom build. When Doug and I created these guitars designs we had one intent, to see these designs infused within the general public's hand.

I will continue to personally build these designs for what I feel their intrinsic value is! This remains a great value for the collector.Yet is not helpful to the majority of us who's dreams are equal!

Neither Doug nor myself are financially rich individuals or will we ever be, we are just creative people doing our thing wanting to share our gifts with others!

Thomas Lieber wrote:I will continue to personally build these designs for what I feel their intrinsic value is! This remains a great value for the collector.Yet is not helpful to the majority of us who's dreams are equal!

Neither Doug nor myself are financially rich individuals or will we ever be, we are just creative people doing our thing wanting to share our gifts with others!

Be well , bring peace and mindfulness into all of your days! Thomas

Thomas, Thanks for thinking about "the majority of us"! We appreciate it a lot!

There are few guitarists, in the Dead community or elsewhere, who can afford $3K+ guitars. It sure would be nice to see someone take a stab at producing a Jerry-style axe in the price range of a PRS SE, Epiphone LP, or MIM Strat so the true majority, including youngsters, beginners, and poorer people, could own one, too. A Tiger-style axe for the 99%! This is obviously not Lieber's or Irwin's current plan nor am I suggesting it needs to be. I'm just asking if it's something they've considered or would consider and/or wishing someone would step up to the plate to do it. (Whoever does, I'll guarantee you one sale for a new Jerry guitar for my 14 year old. )

Disclaimers: I'm happy to share whatever relevant gear knowledge or experience I have. Genuflection/payment/proof of worthiness neither sought nor accepted. I don't design, build, market, sell or endorse for pay any new music product or service. I occasionally sell personal used gear. I am an unpaid endorser of SoundScaper Productions and Godfrey Daniels Guitarworks.

There are few guitarists, in the Dead community or elsewhere, who can afford $3K+ guitars. It sure would be nice to see someone take a stab at producing a Jerry-style axe in the price range of a PRS SE, Epiphone LP, or MIM Strat so the true majority, including youngsters, beginners, and poorer people, could own one, too. A Tiger-style axe for the 99%! This is obviously not Lieber's or Irwin's current plan nor am I suggesting it needs to be. I'm just asking if it's something they've considered or would consider and/or wishing someone would step up to the plate to do it. (Whoever does, I'll guarantee you one sale for a new Jerry guitar for my 14 year old. )

Interested in crowdsourcing this? I have a few ideas, and some manufacuring ideas.

"Crowdsourcing?" I'm already ahead - I've learned a new word. PM to come momentarily. (And if I have anything further on the topic to post, I'll start a new thread so as not to hijack the OP's thread which is addressed to building quality replicas rather than inexpensive entry-level axes.)

Disclaimers: I'm happy to share whatever relevant gear knowledge or experience I have. Genuflection/payment/proof of worthiness neither sought nor accepted. I don't design, build, market, sell or endorse for pay any new music product or service. I occasionally sell personal used gear. I am an unpaid endorser of SoundScaper Productions and Godfrey Daniels Guitarworks.

waldo041 wrote:where is doug? and will HE be available for questions once HIS company is resurrected?

peace,waldo

Wow Waldo, you ask me to speak publically what you and I have personally discussed!

Doug is healthy and living his life privately! Come to the Dead Gear Expo in San Fran , Doug did mention he would like to attend next years show if held on the west coast! A few phone calls and I will also coral Larry Robinson, Frank Fuller, Michael Dolan, Steve Klein, and I believe Rick Turner would come up from Santa Cruz if invited. One stop shopping to acquiring answers to all of your questions!

And as far as price point on guitars, all are always considered and being considered, especially entry level instruments.

Thomas Lieber wrote:And as far as price point on guitars, all are always considered and being considered, especially entry level instruments.

Very cool to learn this.

The question I ask myself is what will happen when the generation that saw the Dead live personally - my generation, the one before it, and perhaps the one after it - are all in our graves? We like to believe the music itself will keep the torch alive (and I actually do believe that will be the case) but the reality is the steppingstones of history are littered with the carcasses of incredibly popular performers of their age whose legacy today is at best a small fringe following and whose followers in their heydey could not have imagined it coming to this.

One way to keep the legacy alive is to make the path of entry for youngsters easy and cheap - to make it attractive and possible for those in society with traditionally the least of means to step on the path. It is in that spirit that I think often about having an entry-level J-caster type axe available in today's market.

A quick analogue:

PRS Santana Signature Model - $3,322:

PRS SE (Student Edition) Santana - $694:

Disclaimers: I'm happy to share whatever relevant gear knowledge or experience I have. Genuflection/payment/proof of worthiness neither sought nor accepted. I don't design, build, market, sell or endorse for pay any new music product or service. I occasionally sell personal used gear. I am an unpaid endorser of SoundScaper Productions and Godfrey Daniels Guitarworks.

I hate to say it, but my inclination, without having seen or played the new Irwin/Lieber offshore guitars (which very well could be awesome -- I have a Korean axe that is really, really great. Korean craftsmanship can be pretty darn good), would be to go with a similarly priced "budget" guitar from one of the luthiers who's building them by hand like Lieber or Moriarty. Think you can get one of them for like 4k, and it seems a little more reliable, if not as cosmetically appealing as the full blown deal with ornate fret inlays and fancy sandwiches and whatnot.

Jon S. wrote:The question I ask myself is what will happen when the generation that saw the Dead live personally - my generation, the one before it, and perhaps the one after it - are all in our graves?

As a tangent to your main point: I personally never saw them live. Fennario gets questions all the time from kids wanting to know if they can come to shows if they aren't 21. I firmly believe that the music will live on!

There are few guitarists, in the Dead community or elsewhere, who can afford $3K+ guitars. It sure would be nice to see someone take a stab at producing a Jerry-style axe in the price range of a PRS SE, Epiphone LP, or MIM Strat so the true majority, including youngsters, beginners, and poorer people, could own one, too. A Tiger-style axe for the 99%! This is obviously not Lieber's or Irwin's current plan nor am I suggesting it needs to be. I'm just asking if it's something they've considered or would consider and/or wishing someone would step up to the plate to do it. (Whoever does, I'll guarantee you one sale for a new Jerry guitar for my 14 year old. )

That is the sound of a hammer firmly striking the nail on the head.

And you are wrong Jon, imo this should be mssrs. Irwin and Leiber's plan--fill the void in the market.

Jon S. wrote:The question I ask myself is what will happen when the generation that saw the Dead live personally - my generation, the one before it, and perhaps the one after it - are all in our graves?

As a tangent to your main point: I personally never saw them live. Fennario gets questions all the time from kids wanting to know if they can come to shows if they aren't 21. I firmly believe that the music will live on!

+1The Dead is like Elvis - a cultural phenomenon that will live on foreverviewtopic.php?f=419&t=11564The young guns are Keeping the Music alive ! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^